By Alex Ross, international correspondent in Jerusalem
It’s a new day in Israel, but Iran’s unprecedented attack has left the country reeling.
Schools and universities were closed for security reasons.
We met students Talia and Simona in a cafe in West Jerusalem. They said the crisis was all they discussed all day.
“I hope we’re smart enough not to make it worse, and I think last night was a big win for us because our troops saved us,” Talia said.
The events of October 7 are still raw – but the attack on Saturday night has heightened feelings of insecurity.
“We were both very, very scared, talking on the phone, but I think after October 7th, I feel like we’ve seen the worst,” Simona said.
For many Israelis, this is a watershed moment – people are going about their business as usual, but this is the first time in history that the nation has been directly attacked by Iran.
Israelis feel trapped
Nellie Hyatt, a mother of young children, was with friends on Jaffa Street, the city’s main shopping street.
“The people of Israel, they feel trapped by what’s going on,” he said. “We woke the kids up at 2 in the morning, ran outside because there was no bomb shelter in the house and you have to reassure the kids that everything is going to be okay, even though you’re scared.”
Israelis were expecting something – there were multiple security alerts in the days leading up to the attack – but its scale shocked many, and the focus is now on how Israel will respond.